Jeremiah 45

1 The word that Jeremye, the profete, spak to Baruc, the sone of Nerie, whanne he hadde write these wordis in the book, of the mouth of Jeremye, in the fourthe yeer of Joachym, the sone of Josie, kyng of Juda,

After Jehoiakim the son of King Josiah had been ruling Judah for almost four years, [I, ] Baruch, wrote down [all] the messages that the prophet Jeremiah had dictated to me. Then Jeremiah gave me a message. He said,

2 and seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis to thee, Baruc.

“Baruch, Yahweh, the God whom [we] Israelis [worship], has a message for you.

3 Thou seidist, Wo to me wretche, for the Lord encreesside sorewe to my sorewe; Y trauelide in my weilyng, and Y foond not reste.

You have said, ‘Terrible things [are happening] to me! I have endured much pain already. And now Yahweh is causing me to be very sad, in addition to my having pain. I am exhausted from my (groaning/being sad), and I am unable to rest!’

4 The Lord seith these thingis, Thus thou schalt seye to hym, Lo! Y distrie hem, whiche Y bildide, and Y drawe out hem, whiche Y plauntide, and al this lond.

But [Baruch], this is what Yahweh says: ‘I will destroy this nation that I established. [This nation is like a tree] [MET] that I planted and that I will now pull up with its roots.

5 And sekist thou grete thingis to thee? nyle thou seke, for lo! Y schal brynge yuel on ech man, seith the Lord, and Y schal yyue to thee thi lijf in to helthe, in alle places, to whiche euer places thou schalt go.

So, should you [RHQ] desire that people do things to honor you in a special way? Do not desire that. [It is true that] I will cause all these people to experience a great disaster, but wherever you go, I will protect you, and you will not be killed.’”